Manic Street Preachers on the making of ‘Everything Must Go’

Manic Street Preachers‘ Nicky Wire and James Dean Bradfield have opened up about the making of their iconic album ‘Everything Must Go’.

Released on May 20 1996, ‘Everything Must Go’ peaked at number two on the UK charts and was the band’s first album since the disappearance of member Richey Edwards.

Speaking to the Guardian, guitarist and lead vocalist James Dean Bradfield said that Edwards wanted to continue the theme of “darkness” from ‘The Holy Bible’ but the other members disagreed. “But there was no tension, no arguments,” he continued.

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Afterwards, Bradfield and Edwards travelled back to London together, with the pair scheduled to fly to America the next day – Edwards however, went missing. “For the first month, you’re still expecting news – it’s the hope that kills you – then you realise you’re in something that doesn’t have a definite ending,” Bradfield said.

“After the third month, we said: “Look, let’s get in a room together as a band rather than as friends, and see what the dynamic is like without Richey.” Writing a song like ‘A Design for Life’ was a massive relief: it was the only way we could be ourselves again.”

Bassist Nicky Wire also commented that music has become “a giant brand of blandness, of digitised fakery,” claiming that it would be “impossible” for ‘A Design for Life’ to be a hit today. “People are willing to join causes, but no one puts those feelings into their actual art,” he said.

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Speaking of Edwards, Wire commented that it would have been great for Richey to have been with them at those huge gigs. “That’s the real sadness,” he concluded.
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